Learning To Fall
by alienofextraordinaryability
Summary: Serena van der Woodsen, it girl of the upper east side, is back after a year at boarding school. Rumors say that she's back to claim the boy she left behind...none other than Nathaniel Archibald. Will they get their happily ever after? Only time will tell
1. Summary

_Author's Note: So I have been really getting into Gossip Girl lately, so I decided to write a fanfic. The idea kind of just popped into my head when I was rewatching the pilot episode the other day. What if Serena had come back for Nate? How would things have turned out? This fic will be AU. I might throw in a couple of my own characters but I haven't decided yet. Lemme know what you think!_

Prologue:

Hey upper east siders, Gossip Girl here, and I have the biggest news ever. One of my many sources, Melanie91, sends us this: spotted at Grand Central, bags in hand, Serena van der Woodsen. Was it only a year ago our it girl mysteriously disappeared for 'boarding school'? And just as suddenly she's back. Don't believe me? See for yourselves. Lucky for us Melanie91 sent proof. Thanks for the photo Mel. Spotted: Lonely Boy, can't believe the love of his life has returned. If only she knew who he was. But everyone knows Serena, and everyone is talking. Wonder what Blair Waldorf thinks. Sure, they're BFFs, **but we always thought Blair's boyfriend Nate had a thing for Serena.** Word is that S bailed on B's party in under 90 seconds and didn't even have one limoncello. Has our bad girl really gone good? Or is it all just part of the act? Why'd she leave? **Why'd she return? **Send me all the deets. And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. The only one.

XOXO,

Gossip Girl


	2. Love Remains The Same

**Chapter One: Love Remains The Same**

_"I shut the world away from here_

_Drift to you you're all I hear_

_As everything we know, fades to black"_

Serena leaned her head against the window, looking out at all the people walking along the streets of New York. It was hard to believe that she was back. Sure, she had only been gone for a year, but it felt like a lot longer than that. A part of her wished that she had never left, but it had been necessary for her to leave. She could've kept in contact with everyone but it was just too hard. The car stopped and Serena recognized immediately where they were. When her car door opened she climbed out, confused.

"What are we doing here?" she asked the driver.

"Your mothers orders Ms. Van der Woodsen. The Waldorfs are having a party, you're mother is there." he informed her. Serena ran a hand through her hair, walking towards the building, moving up the steps slowly. This hadn't exactly been a part of her returning to the Upper East Side plan, but she would have to work with it. When she walked in, all eyes were on her, and she had to admit it was making her a bit uncomfortable. She had been used to it before, but being away from it had changed things. After a couple minutes of searching, she found her mother in the crowd.

"Mom...mom." she said, trying to get her attention.

"Serena!" she exclaimed, hugging her daughter. "I'm so glad your home!" Serena smiled softly at her, biting the inside of her cheek.

"Me too...but uhm, I think I'm gonna head home. I'm really tired. Jet lag." she lied. She wasn't tired at all; she just couldn't be there anymore.

"Alright honey, but why don't you say hi to Blair before you go." she suggested, glancing around for her.

"Mom I really-." She stopped speaking when she found herself looking into the eyes of Nathaniel Archibald. A soft smile appeared on her lips, butterflies flying around in her stomach. He had always done this to her, made her a nervous wreck. She figured that after being gone, the feelings would go away...apparently she was wrong. He shoved his hands in his pockets, something he tended to do when he was nervous. He took a tentative step forward, wanting to talk to her. Before he could go any further, he felt Blair grasp onto his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"Why don't we go say hi to Serena?" he suggested, trying not to sound too eager.

"I'll go say hi to Serena, you stay. And close your mouth, you're drooling." she said, rolling her eyes. She kissed him quickly, to show Serena that Nate was still all hers. Blair always wondered if maybe the two had a thing for each other, but if they did than they would be together, and they weren't. "Serena!" she said, faking excitement as she walked over to her. "It's been so long!" The two hugged for a moment, and Serena tried not to seem too awkward. After the little public display of affection she had just seen between Nate and Blair, she knew that they were still together. A part of her wasn't too surprised. Why would he end things with Blair? Serena had left, and it wasn't like he knew when she was coming back. But she couldn't deny that she was a bit disappointed. She was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with him, but he wasn't hers.

"Hi B." she said with a smile. She felt like her knees were gonna give out; she needed to get out of there. "I'd love to stay but I'm still really tired from the flight. We should make plans, do lunch." she suggested, slowly walking away. "I'll see you around, we can hang out." Serena let her eyes connect with Nate's once more before turning and hurrying away. She had wanted to talk to Nate, but she hadn't realized how badly she wanted to talk to him until she had actually seen him. She climbed into a taxi, trying to figure out what to do. Serena had wanted to talk to Nate, but them having a real conversation at the party would be physically impossible. After a few deep breaths she flipped opened her phone, dialing Nate's number. They had to talk somewhere where they could be alone. She had to tell him everything before she lost her nerve. She had to tell him how she felt before it was too late...

"Where'd Serena go?" Nate asked, a bit disappointed.

"Who knows, who cares." she said, trying to shrug it off. "Let's go get a drink." Nate nodded but then he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Serena's face flashing on the screen.

"Why don't you go get the drinks and I'll meet you in a minute, I have to take this." Before she could respond he was walking away from the party, shutting himself in the bathroom. "Serena?" he asked quietly as he answered the phone.

"Hey Nate..." she said, unsure of what to say.

"You left before I got a chance to say hi."

"Yeah...sorry about that, it was just too weird, you know?" she asked with a sigh. "Uhm, anyways, I was wondering if there was any way you could leave the party."

"Why, what's up?"

"I just really need to talk to you...just you." she emphasized the just you part, she didn't want him to bring Blair with him.

"Where are you?"

"I'm going back to my house...meet me there?"

"I'll be there soon." he whispered, his nerves shaking him to the core. Why did she want to talk to him so badly? Maybe she was finally admitting that she had feelings for him...maybe this was their chance. Or maybe she wanted to end it once and for all. He couldn't be sure. He walked back through the crowd, finding Blair. "Hey, I gotta get going...my dad needs me to do some business thing for him. I'll call you." he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek before walking away. The only thing Nate could think about was Serena. His legs shook and he had to refrain from telling the cab driver to speed it up. After what seemed like hours, he finally pulled up in front of Serena's place. Nate paid the man and walked up the steps, knocking gently on the door. "Hi." he said softly as she opened the door.

"Hi..." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a sure sign that she was nervous. "Come in." he walked in, waiting for her to lead the way. "Let's go up to my room." she suggested, making her way up the stairs. Nate followed eagerly, making sure to remain at a steady pace as he walked. When they walked into her room he couldn't help but smile. They had spent a lot of time in here, there were a lot of memories.

"So are you back for good?" he asked hopefully, sitting on the edge of her bed. His hands ran over the smooth material of her comforter, remembering the feel of it against his skin from his nights spent with Serena. She nodded her head softly, sitting down next to him.

"Yeah...it was tough being away from here." It felt awkward, but maybe that was just because it had been years since they had seen each other. Maybe because she was preparing to tell him how she felt.

"It was tough being here without you." he said quietly, looking over at her.

"I bet Blair helped ease your pain." she said, unable to hide the slight bitterness in her voice.

"Serena..." he said cautiously, surprised by her tone of voice. "You know I'd give her up for you in a heartbeat." He hoped he wouldn't scare her or anything, but he figured he might as well be honest. If this was their chance, he wasn't going to let it pass him by.

"Wh- what?" she asked softly, a bit surprised. Did he still really feel the same way about her?

"I want to be with you Serena...I always have. You know that." he whispered, glancing over at her. She couldn't believe it. Her whole reason for asking him to come over was so she could tell him how she felt, and now he had told her how he felt first. Serena stood up, running a hand through her hair. Now it was like everything was thrown off and she wasn't sure what to say or do. "You're back now...we can be together." he added, standing up and resting his hand on her shoulder.

"Nate..." she whispered, turning to face him. Anything she had planned to say completely escaped her when her eyes connected with his. Looking into her eyes, he was given a sudden burst of confidence. His fingertips brushed against her cheek, stepping closer to her. "We shouldn't-." Her words were cut off as his lips crashed into hers. Her head was screaming at her, warning her that this was wrong. But her heart kept reminding her that this was the rightest thing in the world. He cradled her face in his hands while her hands gripped the back of his neck. Their mouths moved together as one, soft moans escaping from both of them. Nate pulled his lips off of Serena's, his forehead resting gently against hers.

"I knew you still felt the same." he whispered, his thumb brushing against the smooth skin of her cheek.

"I can't…" she replied quietly. Her words completely contradicted her actions as her fingertips brushed against the hair on the nape of his neck. "You're with Blair…"

"But I don't have to be. You're back now, we can be together." he said, repeating his words from a few minutes ago.

"Nate, if we were supposed to be together we would've been a long time ago." Nate shook his head softly, refusing to let her run away from them again.

"Look me in the eye and tell me that this doesn't feel right…tell me that you could walk away from me and never look back…" She looked past him, taking a deep breath. Serena couldn't tell him either of those things, because it would be a complete lie. "See? This is supposed to be…we are supposed to be." Serena didn't want to deny this anymore. She had been in love with Nate for as long as she could remember, and she was tired of hiding those feelings in order to keep Blair happy. For her entire life she had always done whatever it took to make sure everyone around her was happy. It was her turn to be happy, her turn to get what she wanted. Instead of responding to him, she pressed her body into his lightly, her lips brushing against his. Nate responded eagerly to her kiss, smiling softly against her lips, taking this kiss as her answer.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Serena asked, her voice hushed. Of course there was the obvious dumping of Blair that Nate had to do; but she knew that once Blair found out her and Nate were together, she would completely destroy Serena's life. After thinking about it a bit, she knew that being with Nate was more than worth it.

"It's not gonna be easy…" he said quietly, knowing she already knew that. Nate was willing to go through anything and everything if it meant he got to be with Serena. He just hoped that she felt exactly the same.

"I know…but I don't want to run from this anymore…" she whispered, her eyes connecting with his. For once she was going to do what she wanted to do, and deal with the repercussions as they came. Serena pressed her lips against his eagerly, wanting to escape from the world and just enjoy this moment here with him.

_A/N: So here it is, chapter one. I know some of you may be thinking that I pushed Serena and Nate together too fast, but…just because they are in bliss at the moment does not mean that things will be easy or that they will stay together for very long… I hope you like it, and I will definitely be updating a lot more consistently. Song is by Gavin Rossdale; I own nadaaa. Reviews are appreciated!_


	3. Hanging By A Moment

_A/N: I know, I know, I haven't updated in forever. I lost my muse for a while, and then I was dealing with all the college nonsense most of us go through at some point or another. But now that Gossip Girl is back, and NS are finally together! (My detest for Jenny has grown increasingly with each episode. She needs to go away.) I'm definitely much more into my writing. I'm going to aim for a new chapter every two weeks at the least. I'm trying to force myself into a normal pattern so hopefully it works. I hope you all like this chapter, it has a good mix of fluff and drama in my opinion. But I guess I'm rather biased considering I wrote it. Title is the wonderful song basically everyone knows by Lifehouse. And now, onto the next chapter of Learning To Fall…_

**Chapter Two: Hanging By A Moment**

"_Forgetting all I'm lacking_

_Completely incomplete_

_I'll take your invitation_

_You take all of me_

_Now, I'm falling even more in love with you_

_Letting go of all I've held on to_

_I'm standing here until you make me move_

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you."_

Nate's eyes fluttered open, moving directly to the clock next to the bed. 9:42 am. A soft sigh fell from his lips; it was much too early to be awake. He went to lift his arm but couldn't, it was pinned down by a head of blonde curls. Nate's arm was wrapped around Serena, her face was nuzzled into his chest, and her hand was draped lazily across his abdomen. She was the only girl he knew who looked beautiful while sleeping. His free hand shifted slightly, his fingertips brushing through her curls carefully. Spending the night with Serena hadn't been something planned. He didn't want to rush anything with her, and she wanted their relationship to start the right way. They had spent the night eating Chinese takeout, talking about the year they were apart, and watching cheesy movies, exchanging gentle kisses every few moments. Serena had fallen asleep in Nate's arms, and before he could realize it he was asleep as well.

"Good morning, beautiful." he whispered in her ear.

"Mmm…" she mumbled in response, pressing herself closer to him. Nate chuckled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of her head.

"Time to wake up, sleeping beauty." She shook her head lightly in disagreement. Serena had never been a morning person; from the time she was born she had much preferred sleeping in late. She moved around slightly, her face nuzzling in the crook of his neck.

"More sleep…just cuddle with me." she whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his skin. Nate sighed softly, giving in and wrapping his arms firmly around her petite frame. Serena couldn't help but think that this was where she belonged. Waking up in Nate's arms was the most perfect feeling in the world.

"Just for a little bit longer...we do have to face the world eventually." he whispered against her hair. In all honesty, Nate wanted to avoid the world for as long as possible. Once they got back out into the world, people were going to try and ruin them. Blair would be far from happy, and that Dan guy's crush on Serena had not gone unnoticed.

"Nathaniel Archibald, stop worrying." His eyes widened lightly at her words; it was amazing how well they knew each other. "As long as we have each other, no one else matters." A soft smile slipped onto his face and he pulled her closer.

"You know me pretty well Ms. Van der Woodsen."

"Even better than you know yourself sometimes." she added softly, her fingertips slipping over his abdomen. The butterflies fluttered underneath her gentle touch. He brushed his hand over her bare shoulder, slipping carefully under the straps of her tank-top.

"Yeah…" he whispered, his voice taking on a deeper tone. She was slowly overtaking all of his senses. His other hand tucked her hair behind her ear, pressing his lips carefully to her earlobe.

"Nate…" she gasped. He was the only one who knew her weak spots, and he used that to his advantage. Her nails dug into his side gently, causing a soft moan to escape from his lips. He shifted her carefully in his arms, his lips trailing down to her neck. His skillful mouth massaged her neck gently, nipping at her pulse point. She shivered involuntarily, tilting her head to the side and pressing her body closer to him. "God, Nate…" she mumbled, her eyes closing gently, her mouth a slight O shape. He couldn't help but smirk arrogantly to himself. Nate bit down on her tender skin before pulling away. His fingertips brushed over the light red mark, knowing it would be a hickey in about an hour. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked over at him. "Did you just mark me?" she asked seductively.

"Mhm…so everyone will know that you're mine." He leaned forward to brush his lips against hers, but came in contact with the back of her hand instead. Nate glanced at her with an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Morning breath." she mumbled, her hand still clasped firmly over her mouth. He chuckled softly and shook his head, tugging her hand away and pressing his lips firmly against hers.

"I don't care." he whispered honestly when he pulled away, his gaze connecting with hers. A soft blush crept onto her cheeks as he looked at him. "When you've waited as long as I have…morning breath doesn't really matter." He wasn't going to let something as simple as that keep him from kissing his girl. She was his right? "Will you…will you be mine?" he asked, his voice quiet and nervous. Serena bit her lip softly, smiling at his word choice.

"I think that in a way I've always been yours…" she replied honestly, her tone matching the volume of his. "You know? You're the one thing I've always wanted. But time was never really on our side. And now…I'd love to be yours. As long as you'll be mine." She finished with a smile, waiting patiently for his response. He replayed her words in his mind, a light smile sliding onto his face. It was everything he had ever wanted to hear and so much more.

"I've always been yours and I'll always be yours." Nate leaned forward kissing her softly, his hand connecting with hers and grasping it tightly. She pulled her lips from his, her forehead pressing against his. It felt like a year hadn't even passed…it was all the same, but even better then she could have ever imagined. Being away from him for so long gave her time to think. This wasn't some fling, far from it. This was real, and she refused to let it slip through her fingertips.

"I'm sorry I left…I just had to-." He placed his fingertip over her lips to stop her from speaking. He shook his head lightly, not wanting to talk about it.

"I forgive you. I want us to start fresh…that means leaving the past where it belongs. In the past." He lifted her hand to his mouth, his lips brushing over her knuckles. Serena still felt the guilt for leaving without so much as a goodbye, but she would leave it be for now.

"Okay…" she whispered with a nod. Serena pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth before sitting up in bed, pulling her hair back in one swift motion.

"Where are you going?" he asked, frowning at her.

"To brush my teeth. Come on." She stood up, motioning for him to follow her. Lily tended to buy things in bulk, so there were plenty of spare toothbrushes. Serena had yet to unpack, so she just grabbed two extra toothbrushes out of the closet in her private bathroom, setting one down on the sink for him. As she turned the faucet on, she felt his hands snake around her waist, pulling her back flush against his body. He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, making her smile. The two brushed their teeth together in comfortable silence. It was like they were an old married couple in a way, and Serena liked that. She could picture this being a daily routine for the rest of her life. Little did she know, Nate was feeling the exact same way. Neither said a word about it though, in fear of scaring the other one away. It seemed rushed in a way, but it was far from rushed. They had both been waiting a really long time for this, and they couldn't wait anymore.

"As much as I hate to say this, I should probably get going…I do have to make an appearance at Blair's eventually." Nate said with a sigh, wrapping his arms around her once more.

"Right…Blair…your girlfriend. My best friend." she said with a sigh. As much as she cared about Nate, she still felt a bit guilty about the whole situation.

"Hey…we're doing the right thing."

"The right thing for us, not for her…"

"You have to put yourself first sometimes, Serena…what do you want?" he asked her seriously.

"You." she replied, without a moment's hesitation. "I want to be with you."

"So be with me." His fingertips brushed against her cheek carefully, pulling her mouth to his. "I'm ending it with her today…I'm tired of waiting to be with you." Despite the pain her best friend was going to be put through, she couldn't help but grin playfully at him.

"Finally." she whispered. Their lips reconnected, moving together as one. They were finally getting their chance to be. What they wanted was so close, all they had to do was reach out and grab it.

--

Good morning upper east siders, Gossip Girl here. What could possibly be bigger than Serena's surprise return from boarding school? Spotted: Nate Archibald leaving S's home early this morning. Just some breakfast between friends? Doubtful. And what does B have to say about this early morning rendezvous? My guess is soon enough she'll be in need of a new best friend...and maybe a boyfriend too. I'll be sure to keep you updated on this blossoming love triangle. You know you love me.

XOXO,

Gossip Girl

--

Nate decided to go home and change first, he was sure he smelled like Serena. But maybe that was just all he could smell. After a quick shower he got dressed and headed over to Blair's. He wasn't sure exactly what to say, or how to go about breaking up with her. This had been his first real relationship, and he had spent most of it chasing after Serena. Maybe Blair had seen it coming and she would just accept it. Yeah, and maybe hell would freeze over. He rehearsed a bit on the ride over, trying to get into the correct mindset. But as usual, Serena kept sneaking her way into his thoughts. After some failed attempts at concentrating he figured he'd wing it…what's the worst that could happen?

"Have you heard the latest from Gossip Girl?" Blair questioned him seriously, agitation in her eyes.

"No, I haven't…what'd she say?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That you were seen leaving Serena's house this morning…explain to me how this happened. Please, don't leave out any details." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, wanting him to tell her that it was merely two old friends catching up over coffee. Blair had always wondered about Serena and Nate. Sometimes she caught him staring at her, but she always assured herself it was just her mind playing tricks on her. However, now she wasn't so sure.

"Blair, we need to talk." They used that line in movies all the time, so he figured it'd do the job.

"Those words are generally followed by a long break up speech…are you breaking up with me?" she asked, her voice reaching a higher pitch as she questioned him.

"This hasn't been working for a while now, Blair. The connection isn't there anymore…" he said softly, trying to be as sympathetic as possible.

"No." she said simply, leaning back in her seat.

"No?" he questioned, confused.

"I refuse to let this happen. Blair Waldorf does not get dumped." She was firm in her decision. Nate wasn't going to break up with her, she wouldn't allow it. "We can work on things, get back on track. Be the way we used to be."

"It's not that simple, Blair." he said with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. He didn't understand why she was making this so difficult…oh wait, yes he did. It was because she was Blair Waldorf. When Serena left, Blair took over as the Queen Bee…what she said was basically law. "I'm not going to let you keep me in this relationship. It's over." Nate really had tried to be sweet about it but she was trying too hard, and now it was just frustrating. "Nothing can fix this. We're just not meant to be." For the first time in her entire life, Blair had no idea what to say. How was she supposed to respond to that?

"I love you." she said simply, trying to keep the tears at bay. He sighed softly, his guilt steadily increasing with each passing second.

"I know…I loved you too." He had loved her, once upon a time. And maybe his love for her would've grown deeper with time…but he was _in love_ with Serena, and nothing was going to change that. "I want us to be friends, Blair. I like having you in my life, I don't want to lose that."

"Could you please leave? I'd really appreciate it if you would just leave me alone right now." she said quietly, refusing to look anywhere in his general direction.

"Blair…"

"Just go." He merely nodded his head and walked towards the door.

"I really am sorry…" And with that he did as she wanted and left. As he set foot outside, it felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He was finally going after what he wanted instead of watching it pass him by. He could finally claim Serena as his own; he wouldn't have to deal with heartbreaking rumors about her sleeping with other guys, and he wouldn't need to wonder who she was spending her nights with. A part of him was afraid that this was all a dream…and if it was, he never wanted to wake up.

--

"Blair isn't an idiot. She must know you kicked her to the curb for Serena." Chuck said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Might I add that it seems like you did a horrible job of ending things with her." The boys were sitting in Nate's living room; he was trying to get some insight into the situation. Chuck Bass wasn't exactly the king of relationships, but he definitely knew how to handle women.

"I don't know how to break up with people. Unlike you, breaking up is not my area of expertise."

"I merely know how to let a woman down easy. It's all about patience and timing, Nathaniel."

"I was tired of being patient, and we both know the timing never would've been right. It's over now and that's all that really matters to me."

"And you really think Blair is going to accept this?" he asked seriously, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe not right away…I figure once she gets into a new relationship I'll be nothing but a distant memory."

"Blair has a lot of power in this community. I'd keep an eye out. She's a rather ingenious specimen."

"Don't I know it. I've seen it all firsthand." A frustrated sigh slipped from his lips, he didn't understand why things had to be so difficult for him and Serena.

"Anyone home?" Serena walked into the living room, smiling softly at Nate. "Hey." she said, walking over to him and kissing him gently.

"Why hello to you too, Serena." Chuck said, an amused smirk dancing on his lips. She turned in surprise, noticing Chuck's existence in the room for the first time.

"Chuck. I didn't know you were here…" she said, slightly embarrassed.

"I already know all about Nathaniel's absolute infatuation with you, there's no need to be embarrassed." She bit her lip, blushing softly at his comment.

"It's all just a little new for me…" she said, her voice a bit quiet.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone. Have to get back to the hotel for lunch. Salmon, I believe. And I'll be having Kendra for dessert." He winked at them, smiling his signature Chuck Bass smile, before grabbing his jacket and walking out of the room.

"He'll never change." Serena said with a soft laugh.

"Nope. Chuck Bass will always be Chuck Bass." Nate doubted that Chuck's womanizing ways would ever change, but he wasn't certain.

"So…how'd it go?"

"Better than I expected…she was hurt but I didn't go into much detail as to why I was breaking up with her." he admitted. "I don't think she'll cause too much trouble for us…" Serena's phone started buzzing in her pocket, she flipped it open to read the new message:

Word on the street is that Blair Waldorf is on the warpath. Has the Queen Bee been betrayed? Is this newly found urge for revenge the result of a broken heart? Let's hope N & S are paying attention. It seems to me that they may have pushed B a little too far.

XOXO,

Gossip Girl

_A/N: So? Did you love it? Hate it? I'm not the greatest at portraying the amazingness that is Chuck Bass, but I'm working on it. Reviews are absolutely wonderful and give me inspiration to keep on with this story! =)  
_


	4. The Best Is Yet To Come

_Author's Note: I've been working on this update for a while, trying to figure out exactly where I want to take this. I got some inspiration from the recent episodes of Gossip Girl, where we see Jenny being a conniving *itch. She really just needs to go away, and get those tacky hair extensions pulled from her head. I could rant for hours about my utter distaste for Jenny Humphrey, but I digress. As you may have guessed, she is going to be just as evil and cold-hearted in this fanfic as she is on the show. Hopefully you like it; the plan will start mostly in the next chapter which should be up within a week. Well, here it is. Hope it's not too boring. Title of this chapter is a song by Hinder; it's amazing, you should check it out._

**Chapter Three: The Best Is Yet To Come**

"_If I could go back in time_

_Wouldn't change a damn thing in my life  
_

_Love the dumb things we do when we're young  
_

_But the best is yet to come"_

He kept scrolling up and down Gossip Girl's homepage, unable to tear himself away from the latest picture and its disheartening caption. It was of Nate, in all his glory, leaving the Van der Woodsen home…a bright smile on his face and a spring in his step. How was he supposed to compete with Nathaniel Archibald? Nate had been after Serena for years, much longer than Dan ever had. Dan was trying his hardest to stay positive, and convince himself that Nate and Serena were merely close friends. But the more realistic side of him knew that they weren't just friends. From the things he had heard, the two had never been just friends. He finally forced his eyes away from the computer screen and closed the laptop. That was enough torture for one day.

"Let me guess, wallowing over the latest from Gossip Girl?" Jenny asked, a teasing smile on her face. She set her scarf down on the counter and walked over to the fridge. "I know you're into Serena, but her and Nate becoming a couple is practically unavoidable." she said seriously, wanting to talk some sense into her brother.

"Why thank you for the support, Jenny." he said sarcastically, his hands running over his face. "Maybe you're right." he finally admitted with a sigh.

"Aren't I always?" she asked with a smirk. "Serena is the first girl you've shown even remote interest in since Vanessa. Did you ever think maybe it's a rebound type thing?" Dan stiffened at the mention of Vanessa.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." He shook his head lightly, snatching his computer and hurrying off into his bedroom. Vanessa was still a sore spot for him…he had been in love with her and she had moved away. For months he held out hope that she'd come back to him; realize she loved him the way that he loved her. After years of longing for his best friend he had finally let it go…well, sort of. Jenny didn't move from her spot in the kitchen, deciding to let her brother wallow in his own misery.

"My day was wonderful, thanks for asking." she muttered sarcastically to herself. For a good two months Jenny had been trying to weasel her way into Blair's crowd, and so far she had been verbally lashed by Blair on multiple occasions, getting no step closer to the newly crowned Queen Bee of the Upper East Side. Today she had avoided her, not wanting to get in the line of fire, trying to come up with a foolproof scheme. Now it was becoming clearer…get Nate back into Blair's arms, get in with the in crowd. Not only would it land her in Blair's good graces, but it would also give her brother a chance to finally make his move on Serena. She smirked proudly to herself for thinking up such a brilliant plan. Operation Matchmaker was officially in progress.

--

Serena had decided to avoid starting school for a while, she had witnessed Blair's wrath before and it was not a pretty sight. She could only imagine how vicious Blair would get in this scenario. Her day had been spent shopping, anxiously awaiting any contact from Nate. Every time her phone vibrated she felt a flutter of excitement, only to be disappointed when the person on the other end of the phone wasn't him. She had been trying to decide how long to wait before telling people they were official. The best idea was to wait it out until Blair calmed down, but she didn't want to wait that long. She had waited long enough. Before she could change her mind she slipped her phone out of her pocket, dialing Nate's number.

"Hey you," Hearing his voice flow through the speaker made her heart skip a beat.

"Hey." she replied softly, trying her hardest not to sound like some giddy schoolgirl. "We really need to talk." Nate's heart dropped at her word choice. Had she changed her mind about the whole thing? Was she choosing to put Blair first and push their feelings aside?

"Okay…where are you? I'll meet you." There was a nervous edge to his voice that he couldn't disguise.

"Meet me at our café." Serena could tell that he was worried, and that was the last thing she wanted. "Don't worry; it'll be a good talk. I can't wait to see you…bye." Before he could respond she had hung up and was moving towards the café. Her nerves were bouncing around all over the place; she was about to take a huge step and she hoped he was ready for it. Nate quickly threw on a jacket before hurrying out of the apartment, nervous but more curious than anything. The café was a mere five minutes away so he walked, his feet moving a little faster than usual. As soon as he got there he looked for Serena, assuming she would be in their booth. It was towards the back of the café, more secluded. There was a flash of blonde and he smiled brightly, moving towards her.

"Hey." he leaned down to whisper in her ear, his lips brushing against her earlobe. He felt her shiver and couldn't help but smirk when he saw the gentle blush creep onto her cheeks. Nate slid into the booth next to her, his knee pressing against hers. They hadn't really discussed how open they wanted to be with their relationship, so he was trying to make things look as friendly as humanly possible. However, with each passing moment, his willpower was wavering. "So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked curiously, deciding not to beat around the bush about it.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking…about us…" she said quietly, looking over at him. Serena wasn't sure exactly what to say, she wanted her wording to be perfect. "It's always been you, Nate… and I don't want to wait anymore. I want us to be together and I don't want to hide it from anyone." She was telling him everything he wanted to hear; he was floating on cloud nine. "I know that it's not going to be easy, far from it, but I want to stop pretending that we're only friends. I don't want to have to hide my feelings for you." His hand grasped her golden waves, pulling her mouth to his eagerly. He had waited a really long time for this, now he was finally going to be able to tell the world Serena was his. Her lips danced with his, surrounded by a passion that had been ignited many years ago. Her fingertips brushed against his cheek, her palm resting carefully on his jaw. One of his hands was gripping her waist, pulling her close to him, while his other hand was wrist deep in her hair. He swallowed her gentle moans, releasing a few groans himself as he felt his pants tighten considerably. Her hand brushed against his leg and he felt his inner thighs throb.

"Serena…" he mumbled, his forehead resting against hers.

"Natie…" she whispered back, her tone playful. Her fingertips brushed along his jaw, pressing her lips to his. "Maybe we should move this to a more private location." His eyes connected with hers, identical smiles slipping onto their features. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her lips tenderly.

"Come on." he whispered, taking her hand in his. When he stood up he shifted his jeans carefully, wanting to conceal his excitement from the rest of the world. Serena squeezed his hand lightly, letting him lead her out of the café. Their fingers wove together as they walked down the street, their bodies bumping playfully into each other every now and then. They were so consumed with each other that they didn't notice the stares. Everyone was constantly watching them, but neither of them cared. People would always gossip, whether they had evidentiary support or not. Serena had kept her feelings buried for far too long. She had put being a good friend first, and she was ready to finally do something for herself. Besides, she had been Blair's best friend; she knew all of her tricks. Nothing Blair did would surprise her. The new couple finally got to Nate's apartment, laughing softly as they stepped through the revolving door, their bodies pressed together, lips aligned perfectly. And this was the picture Gossip Girl posted on her website less than five minutes later. Forbidden fruit is always the sweetest.

--

Blair snapped her phone shut in frustration, unable to deny it anymore. It was right there in black and white, no way around it. Nate and Serena were together. She blinked her eyes quickly, shaking her head in an effort not to cry. Blair had always wanted to be with Nate but constant worry had always played a role in their relationship, at least on Blair's side. The constant flirtation and longing glances hadn't gone unnoticed by Blair, merely swept under the rug. It was easier to pretend her best friend and boyfriend weren't falling in love in front of her very eyes. What she needed was a plan. There had to be some way she could wriggle between the two 'lovebirds.' However, the scheming lobes in her brain weren't working to their full capacity. In this situation she had to detach herself emotionally, which was easier said than done.

"Hi Blair." Her eyes darted up as she heard a voice she didn't recognize.

"Oh. It's you." she replied, disgust evident in her voice. This girl had been following her for days, it was getting pathetic. What the hell was her name? Julie? Jessica? Jane? Whatever, it wasn't of any importance to Blair. She lifted her cappuccino to her lips, taking a slow sip. "Are you going to stand there like a moron all day or are you going to speak? You're blocking my sunlight." Today was really not a good day; she was in no mood to deal with a sad wannabe.

"Uhm, yeah." Jenny said, suddenly forgetting what she had come here to say. "I want to help you get Nate back." Blair arched an eyebrow, suddenly interested in what this little girl had to say.

"I'm listening." She set her cup down gently on the table next to her, her hands clasped in her lap.

"Well, assuming you looked at the latest from Gossip Girl, it's not an easy task…but I thought of a plan." She stood there awkwardly, waiting for some sort of response from Blair. This was the most conversation she'd ever had with the Queen Bee, and she didn't know how it worked.

"Well? I'd love to sit here all day and watch you stand there like a lost puppy dog but I really don't have the time. Speak up or leave me alone." Jenny's eyes widened slightly at her tone, not yet adjusted to how rude Blair could get.

"Well, uhm, okay… so I figure they need to turn on each other…they need to have doubts. Obviously you trying to plant seeds of doubt won't work, since they'll be expecting it from you. But maybe I can do it? Then I can send him crawling back to you." Jenny finished her thought, biting her lip as she waited for approval.

"Hmm…" Her voice sounded like a low hum as she thought over the plan. "And how exactly do you intend to get closer to them? You're a nobody." Blair was a pro at the art of scheming, so she knew how to cover all the bases before agreeing to any sort of plan.

"As we both know, Serena isn't the same girl that left a year ago. She seems a lot less interested in being in the spotlight…" she let her sentence trail off, letting Blair make her own assumptions.

"So…new Serena would be more than happy to talk to a low life like you; especially once everyone else shuts her out." She leaned forward in her seat, a satisfied grin dancing on the edges of her lips. "Don't get too excited, but if this plan works…there may be room for you in the inner circle." Jenny felt a burst of excitement, but managed to keep herself calm. Inside she was jumping around for joy and shrieking like a five year old on Christmas morning.

"So you like it?" she asked, a proud smirk on her face.

"Just because you came up with a decent idea doesn't mean you're the new queen of the upper east side." she responded bitterly. "In fact, it doesn't even mean that we're friends." Blair's group was very elite, and not just anyone was allowed in. Blair looked Jenny up and down for a moment. If this plan worked, Jenny needed a complete makeover. She was trying to dress maturely but came off looking like a cheap prostitute. And her hair? It looked like it had been glued to her head one clump at a time. "Put the plan in motion as soon as possible. Keep me updated on the results. We'll go from there." Her hands gripped her coffee mug, lifting it to her lips; she was finished with this conversation. When she set the cup down, Jenny was still standing there. "Is there more?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"No, that's it."

"Then why are you still here? Shoo." She flicked her hand at her, motioning her away. Blair glared at her until she finally turned.

"I won't let you down." Jenny said before walking away, leaving Blair in peace. She bit her lip softly, hoping that her idea would work. There was nothing Blair wanted more than to have Nate back, and to have Serena wish she never crossed Blair Waldorf.

--

Serena curled into Nate's side, her hair a tousled mess, her cheeks a light pinkish red. Her breathing was shallow as she tried to get the oxygen pumping back into her lungs. Nate was taking some slow deep breaths, a content smirk on his face, his lips pressing into her messy blonde curls gently.

"You know…I was gonna suggest that we take this slow." she said, the corner of her mouth turning up lightly. A chuckle fell from Nate's lips and he tugged her closer, skin pressing against skin.

"Well if you think about it…we've taken this pretty damn slow." he replied after a few moments of thought. "I've wanted to be with you since we were 6 years old." Her eyebrows arched at his words and she shifted her body so she was looking into his eyes, the sheet draped over her lower back.

"You did not…" she said, her tone slightly curious. His gaze connected with hers and he nodded his head firmly.

"I did." How could he not? Serena had always been the most amazing girl he ever knew; always had been, always would be. There was no way around it for him. Add in the fact that she was right next to him through every important moment of his life. For every birthday celebration she would sit next to him, her hand clasped in his underneath the table, waiting with a smile as he made his wish and blew out the candles. The first time he drove after getting his license, she was sitting in the passenger seat encouraging him the whole way. When his parents argued and he needed an escape, her house became like his own. The first time he got high, the first time he got drunk, she was there…right next to him, giggling at some feeling neither could fully explain. Hell, even when he lost his virginity, she was the girl he lost it to. It had always been him and Serena; even though she had tried to avoid it, he always knew. "We always just sort of fit, ya know? We were practically attached at the hip." His hand slid down her body, his fingertips moving over her hipbone. Her breathing quickened, her hand resting on his chest lightly. "I was pretty obvious about my infatuation…always making up excuses to come see you; losing track of time on purpose so I could spend the night." A surprised smile slipped onto her face.

"You would do that on purpose?" She wasn't sure how she could have been so naïve. It was blatantly obvious Nate had had feelings for her, but she never knew they had always run so deep. "That's the sweetest thing I've heard all day." she whispered, her lips brushing against his. "I've always had a crush on you…my mom would tease me every now and then when she caught me doodling your name in my notebooks." A bright blush crept onto her cheeks; she couldn't believe that she was admitting this right now.

"You doodled my name?" he asked, the pleasant surprise evident on his face.

"Oh yeah. Usually surrounded by little hearts." She looked over at him for a moment, biting her lip nervously. "You aren't allowed to make fun of me."

"I would never even think of it." he whispered against her lips, kissing her eagerly. They had never really talked about their past this in depth. He was finally learning that the feelings he thought were so unrequited were actually reciprocated. She was finally getting to fully understand how he felt about her. With his words and his actions, she had full faith in their relationship. They had waited this long and she wasn't going to let Blair Waldorf ruin it.

"It's kinda funny, don't ya think?" she asked with a playful grin.

"What?" he asked in response, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, we both liked each other for years…yet you somehow ended up with Blair." Her hand skimmed through his hair, feeling a pang of guilt when she said Blair's name. "But now it's exactly how it should be…we've waited a long time for this." Nate grinned at her, cupping her cheek in his palm.

"Definitely worth the wait."

_A/N: Reviews are wonderful. Subscriptions and favorites are good too!_


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